Garment dispenser



Jan. 22, 1957 w. L. BYRNE GARMENT DISPENSER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June30, 1954 l Q MJZM,

TTOR NEY Jan. 22, 1957 w. BYRNE GARMENT DISPENSER 6 Sheets-Sheefo 2Filed June 30, 1954 :[rivznroa WILLIAM LLOYD Bvizws, :IBY MGM Jan. 22,1957 BYRNE 2,778,504

GARMENT DISPENSER Filed June 30, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 /63 0002 4-3CHAIN DRIVE DOORMOTOIi} DOOR PULL 51 -g mf M REVERSIBLE M CABLE 5/ 4MOTOR 49 Y A 65 6,: :9 LINE 7 6 9 071T T- 6 7 60..- -o gr p- 0 REVERSINGSWITCH IwENToa 8 WILLIAMLLOYD BYRNE, 35 M Q J'IILTTOFNEY Jan. 22, 1957w. BYRNE GARMENT DISPENSER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 30, 1954 N Y 5 mm x M N NWQT E O T v L 1M m l- 5 Mm W cm mm Jan. 22, 1957 w. BYRNEGARMENT DISPENSER 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 50, 1954 Jan. 22,- 1957 w.BYRNE 2,778,504

GARMENT DISPENSER Filed June 30, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. WILLIAMLLOYD BYRN'E, :[BY M- L IIT TO RNEY United States Patent GARMENTDISPENSER William Lloyd Byrne, lndianapolis, .lnd., assignor to B & GMachinery Co., Inc., Indianapoiis, End, a corporation of IndianaApplication June -30, 1954, Serial No. 440,477

4 Claims. (Cl. 211-15) This device in the form herein described andillustrated finds one particular use in dry cleaning establishments. Itconsists of a mechanism holding a rather large number of garments whichhave been cleaned, pressed and packaged such as having an envelopeslipped thereover, while awaiting dispensing to the customer. The deviceprovides for storing a maximum number of garments in a minimum amount ofspace, and yet making each garment very quickly available when thecustomer calls for the garment.

The invention includes an endless conveyer travelling generallyhorizontally, and one which may be reversed in direction of travel veryeasily and quickly so as to bring a numbered garment to the dispensingstation with a minimum loss of time. The conveyer carries a plurality ofstations therealong each carrying a different identification marking,corresponding to the number or marking of the individual garment at thetime it is placed upon the conveyer. Furthermore, since the storageposition of the garments is generally in a more or less heated portionof the plant, and the customer enters in a room or ofiice preferablymaintained at a cooler temperature, the conveyer is mounted to beadjacent a door or window opening between the plant and this room, andthis opening is normallyclosed so as to prevent the transmission of heattherebetween. The door may or not be interconnected for its control ofmovement with the operation of the conveyer. It may be separately openedeither by hand or by an aircy!linder, or its control may embody meansfor opening the door or window closure, and then following that openingsetting the conveyor into operation to bring the desired marked garmentimmediately to the door opening so that it may be lifted from theconveyer and given to the customer, the closure carried across the.

door or window opening, the driving means for the conveyer beinginoperative when the closure is in the closed position. That is, theconveyer moving mechanism is inoperative in respect to the station atthe window or door.- It is desirable that the conveyer mechanism beoperable at a remote position from that closure so that the conveyer maybe loaded with the garments independently of dispensing of garments atthe dispensing end.

A primary object of .the invention is to provide a garment dispensing orperhaps more properly a dispatching mechanism which will save the timenot only of the attendant, but more importantly the time of the customerso that the garments may be delivered to the customer without the usualdelay heretofore encountered due to the fact that the attendant wouldhave to go out into the plant, and go from rack to rack trying to locatethe specific garment, and at the same time while looking for the garmenttending to squeeze together and wrinkle or muss garments crowded ontothe rack. The invention permits not only the saving of much time, butpermits the garment to be delivered in its best possible conditionwithout having been wrinkled after the pressing operation.

These and many other objects and advantages of. the.

2,778,504 Patented Jan. 22, 1957 invention will become apparent to thoseversed in the art, in the following description of one particular formof the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichFig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a structureiembodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan of the structure;

Fig. 3 is a detail in vertical section on an enlarged scale on the line3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail in vertical elevation of a garment hanger bracket;

Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation and partial section of thestructure;

Fig. 6 is a schematic wiring diagram relating to a door travel control;

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram in detail'of a relay reversing control of thedrive motor;

Fig. 8a is a wiring diagram in part of an automatic garment dispatchselector control;

Fig. 8b is a wiring diagram completing that shown in Fig. 8a;

Fig. 9 is a detail in top plan view of the relationship of a selectorcam and switch tongue cam followers; and

Fig. 10 a diagram of a manually operated door.

An endless belt 10 of any suitable nature, herein shown as a chain issupported by a plurality of spaced apart trolleys 11 mounted on anendless track 12. The track is generally horizontally disposed and is ofan extended elliptical nature. The trolleys 11 interconnect with thechain belt 10 by means of legs 13 extending downwardly andinterconnecting with an upper ear 14 of a chain link 15. These trolleysas indicated in detail in Fig. 3, have sets of rollers 16 at the upperend resting on the top side of the track 10 and a lower set of rollers17 engaging along.

the under side of the track 12.

Spaced along the chain It), at regular intervals, hereinshown as atevery consecutive link 15, there is a garment hanger bracket 19 havingan upper plate portion 20 exthrough from the front side of the plate 20and extending outwardly therebeyond, and on through the member 13 to besecured by a nut 23. The lower portion of the plate Z0 is attached tothe lower car 21 by any suitable-means,

herein shown as by means of a screw 24.

The plate 2t? merges by its lower end into a hook 253 which is twistedgenerally to a 30 degree angle with the face of the plate 26. Thisangleof twist is best illustrated in Fig. 3.

The track 12 is supported in any suitable manner, suchas by hanging fromthe ceiling or beams spaced above the;

floor, or herein shown as being carried by a pair of spaced apart posts26 and 27 carried by the bases 28 and 29 respectively. The upper ends ofthe posts carry a pair of rails 30 and El therebetween, across the endsof which are cross arms 32 and 33 engaging the inner sides of .the

track i2. At each end of the track 12, there is carried respectivelywheels 34 and 35 around which the chain wraps for approximately onehundred eighty degrees. One,

of these wheels 35 at least, is a sprocket to drive the chain lit Thissprocket may be either at the relatively front or rear end of the track12, herein shownat the rear end. .These wheels 34 and 35 are suitablycarried from the cross arms 32 and 33 to have vertically extendingshafts 36 and 37 extending respectively therefrom. In the illustrationemployed, the wheel 34 is an idler pulley and is mounted at the forwardend of the track 12 andits shaft 36 extends upwardly through a bearing38 which is adjustably carried'forwardly of the cross arm Silas a meansof bringing the chain 16 into a substantially taut condition.

The shaft 37 extends upwardly from the sprocket 35 and drivingly throughan upper sprocket 39. A driving chain 40 extends around the uppersprocket 39 and is carried forwardly to a smaller sprocket 41 which ismounted on the upright shaft 42 of a driving motor 43. Thus, by means ofthe motor 43, when it is energized, the chain it may be set in motion totravel around the track 12.

The forward end designated by the numeral d4 of the conveyer system thusfar described is adjacent a door opening 45. Across this opening ismounted a suitable door, herein shown diagrammatically as of theaccordion folding type being anchored at the side 46 of the opening.Normally this door, designated by the numeral 47 is held in a closedposition by any suitable means, herein shown as by means of a spring 48.A stall motor 49 has a winding drum '0 fixed on its shaft, and aboutthis drum fill there is a cable 51 carried by one end portion, the otherend portion being fixed to a post 52 at the open end side of the door47. The door 4? is shown in a closed position in Fig. 2, and in an openposition in Fig. 5.

Operation In the plant where one of these devices is installed, anoperator will work at the rear end of the system designated by thenumeral 55. Garments will be brought up to near that rear end, and theoperator will take one of the garments which has been bagged and iscarried on a coathanger and engage the hook 56 of the hanger over one ofthe bracket hooks The only position that the garment hanger hook cantake on the bracket hook is to have the garment generally disposed 30degrees to the angle of travel of the chain 10. At the time the operatorhandles the garment being placed on the chain or conveyer 10, theoperator will pick a tag or plate 57 from any suitable source such as atray, but herein shown as from a downwardly inclined chute 58. Notingthe number on the tag 57, the operator will push a button of the switch59 to move the chain around until a bracket plate 26 appears carryingthe same number thereon as does the tag, and then the operator willplace the garment on that particular bracket 19 and place the tag 57over the pin 22 so that the tag and bracket numbers correspond. Also theoperator will place this number on the order ticket which follows thegarment normally through the plant, and sends this ticket with this tagnumber up to the attendant Who would be at the front of the conveyersystem outside of the door 47. The switch 59 will so control through itsnumbers of buttons the movement of the belt 10 as to stop it, cause itto travel in one direction, or cause it to travel in the reversedirection, whichever movement takes the shortest possible time to bringthe numbered bracket 19 around to the operator which number wouldcorrespond to the tag 57 picked up. These tags 57 may take any suitableform or color, but are preferably made out of a rigid material such as aplastic or even metal, so that they will wear and the numbers thereon bevisible over long periods of time. The garments one after another asthey become available from the plant where the cleaning and pressingoperations have been carried on will be placed on the chain 10 as aboveindicated, the chain being caused to move in either direction accordingto the next tag 57 picked up and so on.

Moving to the front end of the system, outside of the door 47, theattendant, upon a customer coming in and presenting his identificationcheck or ticket to the attendant, the attendant compares thatidentification ticket with the order ticket which has been sent up bythe operator in order that the tag number may be obtained from the orderticket. The attendant then turns and operates the switch 60 whichcontrols the stall motor 49 to set it into operation to open the door 47against the pull of the spring 48, and when the door 47 can travel nofurther in its collapsed condition, the motor 49 remaining energizedwill so hold the door 47 open. Then the attendant looking through theopened doorway will observe the tags 57 appearing at the end 44 of theconveyer system, and by determining whether or not the wanted tag numberis higher or lower will then push one of the buttons of the switch 61 tobring the tag number around to the end of the conveyer belt 10 whereuponthe switch 61 is again operated to stop the travel of the belt 10, andthen the tag carrying the number of the garment wanted is picked oil ofthe pin 22, and the garment taken from the book 25 and given to thecustomer. The tag 57 taken off for that particular delivered garment maythen return to the opposite end 55 of the conveyer system by anysuitable means, such as by a tray on a cart, but herein shown as a chute58 above referred to which is inclined downwardly from the upper end 62preferably adjacent the switch 61. That is, the tags being round whendeposited in the chute 58 will roll down to the back end to be availablefor the operator.

A feature of the control system is to be noted in that as long as thedoor 47 is in the open position, the front switch 61 may be operated tobring around the desired garment, but the rear switch 59 cannot beoperated to cause the chain 1% to travel until the door 47 is closed.This is accomplished by reason of the introduction of the door operatedswitch 63 which is in path of the post 52. Normally when this door 47 isclosed, the rear switch 59 may be operable. The switch 63 is of thedouble throw type. As indicated in Fig. 6, in the wiring diagram, whenthe door 47 is closed, the switch 63 will open a circuit from the linethrough the conductor 64 and the conductor 65 which leads to the controlswitch 61, thereby preventing a closure of the switch between the lineconductor 64 and the other side of the line conductor 66 which alsoleads to the switch 61. In this diagram, it is to be observed that theswitch 63 in the door-closed position will close a circuit from theconductor 64 through the conductor 67 to the switch 59 so that thatswitch may be energized from one side of the line to the other side ofthe line through the wire 68 interconnecting with the wire 66. Since theexact electrical circuits required to obtain the stop, and reversing ofthe belt or chain drive motor 43 do not constitute a part of theinvention per se in this one particular form so far described, thedetails thereof are not illustrated, particularly since they are withinthe knowledge of the person in the electrical art. It is to be notedfurther that the stall motor 49 which is controlled through the switch60 is interconnected from that motor 49 from the line wire 66 throughthe wire 69 to the motor and from the motor to the other side of theline by the wire 70. The door 47 is allowed to close through the effortof the spring 48 by openlng the switch 60, the spring 48 causing thedrum 50 to turn to permit the unwinding of the cable 51 therefrom.

By reason of the 30 degree angular hanging of the garments designated bythe numeral 71, the transverse width of the conveyor system may bereduced materially, and the outer edge portions of the garments may bemade more readily observable and handled when the attendant picks thegarments off of the conveyer. In the showing, particularly in Figs. 2and 5, of the construction, the width of the conveyer system is somewhatexaggerated in order to show the details clearly. Normally in practice,the lateral width of the conveying system, that is between the twoparallel flights of the belt 10 need to be made only that length whichwill permit the inner edges of the garments to clear the supportingposts 26 and 27. In so doing, there can be a plurality of these conveyersystems mounted side by side for a greater number of garments to becarried and handled in the one particular plant.

In Fig. 7, is shown a wiring diagram in detail for control of movementof the conveyer through the rear and a ra front switches 59 and 61,wherein thecircuits are adaptable for use not only from two controlledstations, but also for interconnection with a garment, automaticdispatcher selector controller as will hereinafter 'be more fullyexplained.

First however in reference to the two station control, the terminal 80of the switch 59 is connected through the wires 81 and 82 to the linewire 83 leading from ya source of electricity. Closing the switch 59between the terminals 80 and 34 completes a circuit from the line wire33, wire 82, and 81 as follows: wire 85, relay windin 36, wire-87,across the contacts 88 and 89 (normally closed), and wire 90 to theotherline wire 91.

The energizing of the relay winding 86' closes the contacts 91a and 92,thereby connecting the line wire 91 through the wire 93 to 'the conveyerdrive motor 94. Also energizing the'winding o, closes the contacts 95and 96, thereby connecting the other line wire 83 to the motor 94through the wires 97 and 98, and thus the motor 94 starts running todrive the conveyer belt in one direction of travel. The motor 94 isstopped by opening the switch 59 across the terminals 80 and 84.

To set up a reverse travel of theconveyer belt 10, the switch 59 isclosed across the terminals fill and 9 9. This switching closes acircuit from the line wire 83, wires 82 and 81, through the wire 1110,the relay winding 101, wire 11112, across the contacts 103' and 1114 ofthe relay 86 (the normal positions of the contacts with deenergizedrelay windings 86 and 101 are those shown in the diagram), and the wire105, to the other line wire 91.

This circuit energizes the relay winding 1111 and the relay winding 86remains tie-energized by reason of the relay 1M opening the contacts 88and S9.

The energizing of the relay winding 1111 closes a circuit from the linewire 91 across the contacts 1% and 107 through the wire 1153 to themotor 94'reversing winding, from the other line wire 83, acrossthe'contacts 109 and 13% through the wire 98, to the motor 94, therebysetting the motor 94 in a reverse direction of conveyer drive.

The front switch 61 has terminals 84a, 30a, and 99a in parallelrespectively with the terminals 84, 80, and 99 of the switch 59, andhence its operation parallels that of the switch 59 in all respects asto the control of the respective circuits described in reference to theswitch 59 in the first instance. It is tobe noted that in reference toboth switches 59 and 61, these switches have to be maintained in closedpositions by manual pressure there.- against,'assuming that the normalspring urged button switches are employed, and the switch is open uponrelease of that pressure.

The control of conveyer travel may be automatically had as to certaindefinite, selected lengths of the belt 10' being brought up to the frontend 44101" presentation of the desired numbered garment at that front44. For example, assume that the belt length selected from any one ofthe other lengths regardless of in what position around the conveyer theselected lengths may be in reference to the front 44, that particularselected length may be automatically presented at the front 44 simply bypushing a button for that selection.

The length of the belt 10may be divided into any suitable number oflengths, arbitrarily selected preferably in accordance with the numberof brackets 19 carried thereby. In the present instance, by way ofillustration, and not by way of limitation, the belt 14) will be assumedto have a total of two hundred and fifty brackets 19 carriedtherearound. Then as a convenient number for illustration, the beltcould be divided into unit lengths, each length carrying twenty-five ofthese brackets 19. The length would be determined somewhat by thediameter of the drive wheel 35, whereby the selected length would bethat which will be limited to surrounding the forward half or even lessof the circumference of that wheel 35, which presentation would providea length wherein all 6 brackets 19 in that length would bereadilyvisible from the front 44. These lengthsselected may be as short or longas'may be desired, but in any eventeach length remainsfixed for any oneelectrical set-up.

One particular electrical set-up for automatically bringing up oneparticular belt length is ilustrated in Figs. 8a and Sb taken inconjunction with the diagram illustrated in Fig. 7, this set-upemploying ten lengths, each length of the belt 10 carrying twenty-fivebrackets 19, out of the total of the two hundred and fifty brackets 19spaced around the belt. This set-up may be termed an automatic dispatchselector system.

In this dispatch selector system, there is a selector switch box 110mounted conveniently near the conveyer front end 44carrying one switchfor each one of the ten conveyer lengths. The manual control switches 59and 61 may be included or dispensed with, or the rear end positionswitch 59 retained as may be desirable for loading the conveyer from therear end as has previously been recited. The switches of the box 110 areinterconnected to the circuits carried in the primary cabinet 111. Thiscabinet 111 together with the panel 112 carrying the motor drive relays86 and 101 and their circuits all may be mounted above the conveyer asindicated in Figs. 1, '2, and'6.

The wheel 35 drive shaft 37 drivingly interconnects by any suitablemeans, herein as shown by a chain 225 with a cam shaft 113 at a drivingspeed ratio of one revolution of the shaft 113 for one complete travelof the full length of the belt 19 around the wheel 35. This shaft 113drives a plurality of cams spaced apart along the shaft, ten in all.These cams each operate a pair of switches, the cams and switches beinghereinafter designated by specific reference numerals.

Referring to the switch box 110, this box carries in effect five doublethrow switches, giving ten circuit controls. These switches haveterminals 114, 115, 116, 117, and 118, respectively, all connected to acommon wire 119 leading through a cut out or stop switch 121), the wire121, through the terminal 122, the wire 123 (Fig. 7), across the relay101 contacts 124 and 125, wire 126, across the contacts 127 and 128 ofthe relay 86, and the wire 129 to the line wire 83. v

interconnecting the contact 114 with the contact 1311 brings up to thefront 44, the conveyor belt 19 length carrying brackets numbers 1 to 25.The connecting of contacts 114 and 131} closes a circuit from the linewire 83 as just above indicated through the wire 131, the winding of arelay 132, wire. 133, terminal 134 of switch 135, across to terminal 136of the switch (normally closed, unless the 1-25 bracket number length isalready at the front 44), the wire 13?, the wire 133, to the terminal139 connecting with the line wire 91.

The switch has an operating tongue 135a in the path of a cam 140 (one ofthose above mentioned) which is fixed on the shaft 113. Energizing therelay 132 as indicated closes the contacts 141 and 142 to form a closedcircuit from the contact 141 connected to the wire 131, wire 121 (thenconnected with the line wire 83 as above described), and the contact 142connected to the wire 143, connecting through the wire 144 through theterminal 145 to the wire 33. Thus a circuit is maintained through therelay 132 winding between the line wires 83 and 91, when the contacts114 and 1311 separate, these contacts being part of a spring openingpush button switch.

The relay 132 contacts 146 and 147 close a circuit from the wire 143(leading from 83) through the wire 148, terminal 149 of the switch 150(closed when the 1-25 bracket length is not in the front 44 position),across the terminal 151, wire 152, wire 153, terminal 154, wire 155,wire 1041, relay 101 winding, wire 102, contacts 103 and 104, and wire105, to the line wire 91, thereby closing the motor 94 circuit throughthe closing contacts 106 and 107 as above described, and the conveyerbelt then starts travelling to bring up the selected length whichcarries brackets 19 numbering 1-25 to the front 44.

The switch 150 has a tongue 156 in the path of a cam 157 mounted on theshaft 113, and when the cam 157 turns that distance in accordance withthe distance of the selected 1-25 bracket length from its initialposition to the position of centering on the front 44, the contacts 149and 151 separate and the circuit through the relay 13:2 winding isbroken, thereby stopping the motor 94- and restoring the motor controlrelay 181 to its de-energized position.

This drive of the conveyor belt 10 to bring up the 1-25 bracket lengthhas taken place by energizing the motor 94 to turn it in that directionwhich will bring the 1-25 length through the shortest distance of travelfrom its initial position around the endless belt 10 to the front 44.That direction of motor travel and hence belt travel is controlled bythe shape of the rotation direction selector earn 157 in conjunctionwith the switch 150.

This switch 150 has a third terminal 158 in open circuit from theterminals 149 and 151 when the cam 157 is so turned for the circuitabove described as closing between the terminals 149 and 151. When theearn 157 is in a different degree of rotated position corresponding tothe location of the belt 1-25 bracket length on the opposite side of theconveyer, then an open circuit prevails between the terminals 149 and151, and a closed circuit prevails between theterminals 149 and 158 byreason of the cam shape in producing different travels of the tongue156. Under this condition, the motor 94 is energized to turn in areverse direction to bring the said belt length from its position to thefront 44 by the shortest travel distance.

This motor reversing circuit is completed from the terminal 158 throughthe wire 1611, wire 161, terminal 162, wire 163, wire 85, relay 86winding, wire 87, contacts 88 and 89, and wire 90 to the line wire 91,energizing the motor 94 to turn in the opposite direction from thatoriginally described for the first operation. Again, when the earn 157revolves to that position corresponding to the front position of the1-25 bracket length, the switch tongue 156 is no longer actuated to theclosed switch position by the cam contour, and the circuit is broken tostop the motor 94.

Thus there is to be seen that the switch 135 serves to form thatparticular belt length selector means, and the switch 158 serves notonly to set up travel of the belt, but to determine in which directionit will travel for the shortest (and hence in the quickest time)distance.

One of the selector cams such as cam 157 for example (all cams being ofthe same contour) is illustrated in Fig. 9. There is a circumferentialsurface length 165 substantially 170 degrees in extent, having a fixedradius, and there is a length 166 of lesser radius.

The switch 158 is of that type wherein there are two circuits controlledby it. In the one position of the tongue 156 on the low side of the cam157, the circuit will be closed through the switch 150 between thecontacts 151 and 149, and in the shifted position of the tongue 156 byriding on the high side of the cam, the circuit between the contact 151and 149 is opened, and a circuit between contacts 151 and 158 is closed.These two circuit conditions are thus set up by rotation of the cam 157turning one revolution for one complete revolution of the conveyor belt18.

The cam 157 is set to have the low side positioned in reference to thelocation of the one particular length of the belt 18 on one side of thebelt 10 in reference to the front 44, and to have the high sidepositioned in reference to the position of the same belt length whichposition it would have if it has been carried to the other side of thefront 44.

The switch is of that type wherein it controls but one circuit, closedin one position of the cam (same shape as that of the cam 157) andopened in the other position as determined by the riding of the tongue135a on the cam 140.

Assuming as a second example by way of explanation, that it is one ofthe brackets 19 within the group ranging from bracket numbers 125-150,which is desired to be brought to the front 44, the switch for thatgroup is operated to close the contacts 114 and 167 to close a circuitfrom the line wire 83 interconnected as before described with thecontact 114, through the contact 167, the wire 168, relay 169 winding,wire 170, terminal 171 of the switch 172, across through the terminal173 (terminals 171 and 173 normally being closed but open only if thebelt length of brackets numbers 125-150 be at the front 44), wire 174,wire 138, terminal 139, and to the other line wire 91. The contacts 114and 167 may separate as soon as the relay 169 winding is energized,which winding will then remain energized until the switch 172 opens.

The switch 172 has a tongue 175 in the path of the cam 14!) with a cambearing end substantially degrees from the cam bearing end of the tongue135a. Since the cam lobe is less than 180 degrees in circumferentiallength, both tongues 175 and 135a will not be actuated to closed andopen switch positions simultaneously. The circuit controlled by theswitch 172 thus energizes the relay 169 winding to close two pairs ofcontacts. One pair of contacts 176 and 177 close a circuit from the wire168 which leads as above described through the conducting elements fromthe line wire 83, through the wire 178, wire 144, terminal 145, and linewire 83, thus maintaining the line wire 83 connection with the relay 169winding. The other pair of relay 169 contacts 1'79 and 184) close acircuit from the wire 144, through the wire 181, the terminal 182 of theswitch 183 across the terminal 184, the wire 185, wire 153, terminal154, wire 155, wire 100, relay 101 winding, wire 102, relay 86 contacts103 and 104, and wire 105 to the other line wire 91, whereupon theenergization of relay 101 closes the contacts 106 and 107 to connect theline wire 91 through the wire 108 through the motor 94 connections forone direction of turning, the wire 98 through the relay 101 contacts 109and 109a to the other line wire 83, thus energizing the motor 94 to turnin the one direction to bring the belt length of brackets 125-150 to thefront 44 by the shortest distance determined by the position of the cam148 at the time the switch contacts 114 and 167 are closed.

If that position of the bracket 125-150 numbers is such that the motor94 should revolve in the opposite direction for the shortest belttravel, that condition is taken care of by reason of the fact that theswitch 183 has a third terminal 186 then connected to the terminal 182with the terminal 184 disconnected from the terminal 182 by position ofthe switch tongue 164 actuating the switch 183 by turning of the earn157. The circuit leads from the switch terminal 186 through the wire188, to the wire 161, terminal 162, wire 163, wire 164, relay 86winding, wire 87, relay 101 contacts 88 and 89, and wire 90 to the otherline wire 91, to energize the relay 86 and close its contacts 91a and 92to close the circuit from the line wire 91, through the wire 93, motor94 reverse connections, wire 98, relay contacts 96 and 95, and wire 97to the other line wire 83, thus setting the motor 94 turning in theopposite direction.

In the same manner, other bracket 19 groups of numbers may beindividually and selectively brought to the front 44 by the otherswitches at the selector box 110. The operations of the system for thegroups numbers 1-25 and 125-150 have been described.

To bring up the number group 25-150, the contacts 115 and 205 are closedat the box 110 to energize the relay 206, to complete motor 94 drivecircuits through 9 the group selector switch 207, and the motor 94rotation direction selector switch 208. For the group 50-75, thecontacts 116 and 209 are closed to energize the relay 211), closingcircuits through the group selector switch 211 and the motor 94 rotationdirection selector switch 212.

For the group 75-100, the contacts 117 and 213 are closed to energizethe relay 214 closing the circuits through the group selector switch 215and the motor 94 rotation direction selector switch 216.

For the group numbers 100-125, the contacts 118 and 217 are closed toenergize the relay 218 to close circuits through the group selectorswitch 219 and the motor 94 rotation direction selector switch 220.

For the group numbers 150-175, the contacts 115 and 221 are closed toenergize the relay 222 to close circuits through the group selectorswitch 223 and the motor 94 rotation direction selector switch 224.

For the group numbers 175-200, the contacts 116 and 225 are closed toenergize the relay 226 and close circuits through the group selectorswitch 227 and motor 94 rotation direction selector switch 228. For thegroup numbers 200-225, the contacts 117 and 229 are closed to energizethe relay 230 to close circuits through the group selector switch 231and the motor 94 rotation direction selector switch 232.

For the group numbers 225-250, the contacts 118 and 233 are closed toenergize the relay 234 to close circuits through the group selectorswitch 235 and the motor 94 rotation direction selector switch 236.

All of the group selector switches 135, 172, 207, 211, 215, 219, 223,227, 231, and 235 are exactly alike and are of standard constructionwell known to those versed in the art and commercially obtainable.Likewise, all of the motor rotation direction switches 150, 183, 208,212, 216, 220, 224, 228, 232, and 236 are exactly alike and are ofstandard construction well known to those versed in the art andcommercially obtainable. Hence the structural details of each of theseswitches are not herein illustrated and described.

Reference is made to Fig. 10, wherein there is illustrated a dooroperator working independently of the motor drive and group selectorsystems. In this Fig. 10 structure, the door 47 is of the accordioncollapsible type and carries the post 52, in this case fixed to anendless cable 237. The cable 237 has an approximately horizontallydisposed lower flight 238 extending between the spaced pulleys 239 and240. The flight 238 extends around the pulley 240 and downwardly andaround a pulley 241 by a flight 242, upwardly from the pulley 241 andthence over a pulley 243 and back around the pulley 239 into the flight238.

The flight 242 is connected to a piston rod 244 which extends upwardlyfrom a piston 245 in a cylinder 246. A valve 247 has an operating member248 such as a button above the floor 249 extending from a piston valvemember 250, which member 250 is normally urged in the valve housing 251to a position whereby fluid under pressure from any suitable source willnormally be interconnected from the pressure source pipe 252 through atube or pipe 253 to the lower end of the cylinder 246 to carry andmaintain the piston 245 at its upper limit of travel. The valve piston250 is shifted in the housing 251 by pressure on the button 248 toswitch the pressure application on the cylinder 246 through a tube orpipe 254 to the top end of the cylinder 246 above the piston 245 so asto lower the piston 245 and thus pull on the cable 242 flight to pullthe flight 238 and open the door 47.

The attendant, upon pushing the selected switch button at the housing110, will step on the button 248 to open the door 47 and take thegarment from its bracket 19 which has been brought up to the conveyerfront 44 immediately back of the door 47. Releasing the button 248 willpermit the spring 255 to shift the valve piston 10 250 to its doorclosing position, which is that position illustrated in Fig. 10.

Therefore, it is to be seen that I have presented an exceedingly simplebut most effective and unique means for handling garments without damageto them and with the least confusion and expenditure of time as well asof effort. While I have described my invention in the one particularform, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed such as inthe exact switch construction; exact timing of the selector switches;the exact means for opening and closing the door at the forward end ofthe conveyer system; the specific mounting of the garment hanger bracketon the belt; and the like, all without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited to that preciseform beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. in a garment storage and dispenser device, the combination with asupporting structure, a plurality of garment holding members carried bysaid structure movable around the structure in an endless path past adispensing station, and a motor moving said holders along said path, ofa plurality of cams one for each of a selected number of said holders;said cams being driven by said motor at the same speed as that of saidholders; group selector switches actuated by part of said cams; motordrive direction switches being actuated by other of said cams;

manual switches, one for each of said group selected number of holders;and circuit means initially interconnecting a manual switch with acorresponding selector and motor drive direction switch.

2. in a garment storage and dispenser device, the combination with asupporting structure, a plurality of garment holders carried by thestructure movable around an endless path past a dispensing station, anda motor moving said holders, of a manually operated switch for each of aselected group of said holders; a holder group selector switch for eachof said groups, each normally closed for a particular group absent fromthe station; a pair of travel direction switches for each of saidselected groups, one of which is normally closed; circuit meansinitiated to closed conditions by actuation of one of said manualswitches and thereafter maintaining a closed circuit from a power sourcebetween said selector switch, and said one direction switch, bothcorresponding to the same holder group, and said motor; and mechanicalmeans actuated by travel of said motor opening said circuit through saidselector switch and said one direction switch and closing the otherdirection switch in the pair thereof upon a predetermined motor travel,said motor being driven in one direction through said circuit by closureof saidv one direction switch and driven in the opposite direction bythe closure of the other switch in the pair.

3. structure of claim 2 in which said mechanical means comprises asingle cam for each two selector switches, and a single cam for each twopairs of direction switches.

4. The structure of claim 2 in which said manual switch closes a circuitenergizing electromagnetic means to set up and maintain said ciosedcircuit in turn energizing a second electromagnetic means maintainingsaid closed circuit upon opening of said manual switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS928,980 Kaufman et al. July 27, 1909 1,717,246 Perling June 11, 19291,905,229 James et al. Apr. 25, 1933 1,940,867 James et al Dec. 26, 19331,972,258 Boyle Sept. 4, 1934 2,673,779 Stewart et al. Mar. 30, 19542,689,578 Lyon Sept. 21, 1954

